Weather History:
In 1873, a deadly tornado tore through southeastern Iowa, affecting Keokuk, Washington, and Louisa counties before moving into Illinois. The storm produced very large hail (up to 4.5 inches in diameter), killed 8 people, and injured at least a dozen others. This event prompted the first detailed tornado damage survey in Iowa, conducted by the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

7-Day Weather Forecast:
Temperatures are expected to remain cool for the next week. Rain chances increase as the weekend approaches, with the best chance for precipitation Sunday night into Monday. The following week will be less active

Climate Forecast:

• 6–10 Day Outlook (May 27–31): Cooler temperatures expected in the south, near normal in the north, and likely below-average rainfall statewide.

• 8–14 Day Outlook (May 29–June 4): The drier signal is enhanced, and temperatures are expected to be warmer than normal.

• 3–4 Week Outlook (mid-June): The outlook leans warm and wetter, suggesting a shift to a more active weather pattern as summer approaches.

Past Week of Weather:
The past week was notably cooler and wetter than usual, with 3–4 inches of rain along the I-35 corridor and surrounding counties. Des Moines International Airport recorded 4.84 inches, the highest in the state. Temperatures were about 5°F below normal. Overnight lows dipped into the 40s, which is chilly for late May

Other Weather/Climate Discussion Topics:

• Wind and Hail: Northern Iowa experienced strong sustained winds (37–39 mph) and gusts up to 52 mph. Hail up to 2 inches was reported in Grand River (Decatur County) and Osceola.

• Wind Damage: Growers in northern Iowa reported significant losses of plastic mulch beds due to high winds. Wind erosion was also noted in sandy soils in southeastern Iowa.

• Weather Impacts on Crops: High winds caused physical damage to plants (broken leaf petioles, windblown soil particles), and some farms reported unusual leaf spotting, possibly from wind or chemical drift. Drift investigations are ongoing in affected areas.

• Precipitation and Irrigation: The recent rains improved abnormally dry conditions, but growers are reminded to water in new transplants as their roots are not yet established. Weeds are expected to germinate rapidly, so timely cultivation is encouraged.

Specialty Crops Impacts:

• Wind Damage: Growers lost plastic mulch beds and experienced wind erosion, especially in northern and southeastern Iowa.

• Leaf Spotting: Multiple crops (potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, cabbage, Swiss chard, cucumbers) showed inter-veinal necrosis, likely due to wind or desiccation, not herbicide drift.

• Weed Management: Recent rains will trigger weed germination, so growers are advised to cultivate early at the white thread stage.

• Cold Weather Effects: Cool temperatures can increase cat-facing in tomatoes and blossom end rot in susceptible crops. Growers are reminded to monitor for these issues if crops are flowering.

• Irrigation: Irrigation is less necessary after recent rains, but new plantings still require watering.

• Flower Crops: Rain can damage open blooms, but many flowers are harvested in the bud stage. Peony growers are drying blooms before cold storage to prevent moisture issues.

Listener Engagement:
Listeners should share their experiences and the impact of the podcast on their growing decisions, especially if they can quantify the financial benefit of advice received

Summary provided by perplexity.ai

• Historical weather event (May 15, 1968): Major tornado outbreak in Iowa with two F5 tornadoes
  • Caused significant damage in Charles City, Oelwein, Maynard, and other areas
  • 20 total fatalities and over 600 injuries
• Current forecast:
  • Transitioning weather pattern with thunderstorms possible
  • Potential for 2+ inches of rain across Iowa in the coming week
  • Brief cold snap with temperatures dropping to high 40s in central Iowa
  • Moving from "comfortably warm" conditions to more seasonable temperatures

• Moving past the "spring barrier" in forecasting (transition from synoptic to mesoscale/convective weather patterns)
• June outlook: Warmer temperatures expected across the entire U.S.
• June-July outlook: Warmer temperatures with drier conditions possible
• Soil moisture through end of May and early June will be critical for summer conditions

• Recent conditions: Warm with minimal rainfall (only about 0.05" statewide in the past week)
• Importance of irrigation for early plant growth and nutrient uptake
• New irrigation tool mentioned: Sumisensu watering hose from Japan

• Striped cucumber beetles emerging as a major pest issue
  • Overwinter as adults and carry bacterial wilt disease
  • Prefer cucumber family crops, especially cucumbers, cantaloupe, and maxima-type squash
• Control methods:
  • Exclusion (row covers and high tunnel screening with ProtekNet)
  • Parthenocarpic varieties that don't require pollination
  • Kaolin clay applications on young plants
  • Organic pesticide options (azadirachtin, pyrethrins)
  • Soil drenches with beneficial nematodes or entomopathogenic fungi

Podcast summary generated by Claude.ai

• Current conditions feature stable, pleasant weather
• A localized rain event occurred the previous night (May 7th) across central Iowa, with amounts around 0.21 inches in some areas
• Weather pattern is currently dictated by an "Omega block" high pressure system creating stable air
• Forecast shows temperatures warming into the 80s with relatively dry conditions
• 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks indicate:
  • Above normal temperatures for Iowa, though this pattern is moving eastward
  • Above normal precipitation chances in the coming weeks
  • Western US expected to have below normal temperatures

• On May 8, 1964, Iowa experienced very strong winds (60-75 mph, up to 85 mph in Des Moines)
• This created widespread dust storms described as the worst since the 1930s

• A temperature gradient between western and eastern US suggests potential for a more active storm track
• Possible thunderstorm conditions developing May 15-21
• Recent precipitation has been below normal over the past week
• Temperature gradient with southern Iowa cooler than normal and northern Iowa warmer than normal

• Dan discussed preparing cut flowers for Mother's Day sales
• Highlighted benefits of overwintering certain flowers in low tunnels:
  • Earlier blooming than spring-planted flowers
  • Longer stems on cool-weather flowers
  • Currently blooming: Iceland poppy, bachelor's button
  • Nearly ready: foxglove
  • Other successful overwintered varieties: dianthus, campanula, larkspur, delphinium, Nigella, bupleurum, bells of Ireland
• Shared an alternative low tunnel design using carabiners, hose clamps, and bungee cords
• Addressed a flower disease issue: blue mold affecting tulips
  • Disease infects bulbs during harvest
  • Shows variety-specific impacts
  • Management includes identifying infected bulbs before planting

Episode Summary generated by Claude.ai